#1
Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:23am
Hey all...
I was there tonight and was quite impressed. I was expecting a disaster, and though the show needs some work, it is definately not in terrible shape.
The first thing I noticed was that Christina is still on the the cover of the Playbill and very much listed in the cast. There was an understudy board in the lobby announcing that Charlotte would be playing Charity at this performance and there was a slip inside the Playbill also announcing her. My question is why there was enough time to add Jane LaManna and Kyra DaCosta to the Playbill, but not Charlotte. Hmmm...... Also saw Walter Bobbie, Wayne Cilento and the Weisslers in the house. They were stopping patrons (they asked me, I said 'no') to make remarks about the show for the camera. I guess they are making a commercial.
As for the show....first off, the score sounds great. I love a show with a great overture and entre'acte. The orchestra was hot and the singing was pretty terrific throughout. Charlotte was a bit hard to hear, but i'd blame that on mic problems. The lighting was spectacular and costumes were nicely tied into the look that the ad campaign projected. I thought the set was good...not great...but good. It looked a bit sparse at times. The choreography, while not completely Fosse, was very good. "Rich Man's Frug" was a huge crowd pleaser.
Charlotte was fantastic. I was pleased that she recieved some nice entrance applause tonight. She danced like a dream, was adorable, sang well and is a great physical comedian. I'm sure she will find laughs more easily as her run progresses. My companion's first remark at intermission was, "I don't think Christina Applegate could do that." I wonder if they have polished and beefed up the dancing for Charlotte. One would never know this was her first performance. Anyways, I know she may not sell as many tickets as Applegate, but she is a solid, endearing Charity.
Dennis O'Hare is marvelous. He doesn't appear until the 1st act is nearly over, but makes a huge impression by intermission. He's just adorable..and perfect..and Charlotte seemed the most at ease with him. The rest of the cast was very good. I'll single out Paul Schoeffler as Vittorio Vidal for giving the audience some great laughs. He has a great voice also. Honestly, LaManna and DaCosta were OK. Yes, just OK. Hopefully, they will grow in their roles.
My problem with the show is the direction. All the elements are there for this to be very good, but it just doensn't seem to be held together tightly. I knew very little about the show going in, so I don't have a lot to compare it to, but i'll say that it just felt a bit unfinished. I understand tonight's ending was new with Charity and chorus reprising an insturmental "I'm a Brass Band." It was clever, but I think it would be better with just Charity dancing it. Lord knows Charlotte can do it.
At the end of tonight's show, the audience seemed very pleased and gave Charlotte a generous standing ovation at her curtain call. I will say again, the music sounds glorious. I hope the show is fine tuned enough to have a healthy Broadway run. I assume changes will be made during the Boston run, so I hope to see it again just before it leaves. Many people seem to be working hard on "Sweet Charity" and deserve success.
I was there tonight and was quite impressed. I was expecting a disaster, and though the show needs some work, it is definately not in terrible shape.
The first thing I noticed was that Christina is still on the the cover of the Playbill and very much listed in the cast. There was an understudy board in the lobby announcing that Charlotte would be playing Charity at this performance and there was a slip inside the Playbill also announcing her. My question is why there was enough time to add Jane LaManna and Kyra DaCosta to the Playbill, but not Charlotte. Hmmm...... Also saw Walter Bobbie, Wayne Cilento and the Weisslers in the house. They were stopping patrons (they asked me, I said 'no') to make remarks about the show for the camera. I guess they are making a commercial.
As for the show....first off, the score sounds great. I love a show with a great overture and entre'acte. The orchestra was hot and the singing was pretty terrific throughout. Charlotte was a bit hard to hear, but i'd blame that on mic problems. The lighting was spectacular and costumes were nicely tied into the look that the ad campaign projected. I thought the set was good...not great...but good. It looked a bit sparse at times. The choreography, while not completely Fosse, was very good. "Rich Man's Frug" was a huge crowd pleaser.
Charlotte was fantastic. I was pleased that she recieved some nice entrance applause tonight. She danced like a dream, was adorable, sang well and is a great physical comedian. I'm sure she will find laughs more easily as her run progresses. My companion's first remark at intermission was, "I don't think Christina Applegate could do that." I wonder if they have polished and beefed up the dancing for Charlotte. One would never know this was her first performance. Anyways, I know she may not sell as many tickets as Applegate, but she is a solid, endearing Charity.
Dennis O'Hare is marvelous. He doesn't appear until the 1st act is nearly over, but makes a huge impression by intermission. He's just adorable..and perfect..and Charlotte seemed the most at ease with him. The rest of the cast was very good. I'll single out Paul Schoeffler as Vittorio Vidal for giving the audience some great laughs. He has a great voice also. Honestly, LaManna and DaCosta were OK. Yes, just OK. Hopefully, they will grow in their roles.
My problem with the show is the direction. All the elements are there for this to be very good, but it just doensn't seem to be held together tightly. I knew very little about the show going in, so I don't have a lot to compare it to, but i'll say that it just felt a bit unfinished. I understand tonight's ending was new with Charity and chorus reprising an insturmental "I'm a Brass Band." It was clever, but I think it would be better with just Charity dancing it. Lord knows Charlotte can do it.
At the end of tonight's show, the audience seemed very pleased and gave Charlotte a generous standing ovation at her curtain call. I will say again, the music sounds glorious. I hope the show is fine tuned enough to have a healthy Broadway run. I assume changes will be made during the Boston run, so I hope to see it again just before it leaves. Many people seem to be working hard on "Sweet Charity" and deserve success.
"Y'all have a GRAND day now"
Updated On: 3/19/05 at 12:23 AM
